Inside Plumlee Legacy, Unique Family Stories at Duke

The Plumlee name has become synonymous with basketball excellence at Duke, but behind the statistics and highlights lies a collection of unique family stories that have shaped the brothers both on and off the court.

Although Miles, Mason and Marshall Plumlee never won a national championship together, each brother still earned one individually during their time at Duke. Miles and Mason won one together in 2010 while younger brother Marshall had one of his own in 2015. All three Plumlee brothers played under the legendary Coach K during their time at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Nov 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mason Plumlee (22) wrestles the ball away from Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Paving the Way for His Younger Brothers

“We haven’t really talked about it, but I can definitely say we’ve all enjoyed being together so far. It’s definitely something we’re not going to take for granted. We’re all pushing each other to try to make one another better, and more than anything, just spending time together is a lot of fun,” said Miles Plumlee on playing with his brothers at Duke.

After mentoring his younger brothers at Duke, Miles Plumlee became the first in his family to be drafted, going 26th overall to the Indiana Pacers in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Family Legacy

The Plumlees became the third trio of brothers to all play Division 1 basketball, with all three teammates overlapping during the 2011-2012 season.

The Plumlee bros formed one of bball’s most unique family stories. Their Duke careers overlapped in 2011–12, all played under Coach K, won titles, and reached the NBA. They did all the dirty work, giving the Duke frontcourt continuity in the early 2010s.pic.twitter.com/YjgQt6QBhq
— Blue Devil Voices (@DukeEchoes) January 14, 2026

Mason Plumlee began his college playing career in 2008 and ended during the 2013 season. While at Duke, he earned All-ACC honors in 2013 with a title coming before that in 2010 which was mentioned earlier. Mason also went drafted into the NBA with the 22nd overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets.

“With my family – both parents played basketball – and where I grew up, it was easy to fall in love with basketball,” freshman Mason Plumlee said. “My earliest memories are playing at our grandparent’s house – me and Miles and my father.”

The youngest Plumlee brother, Marshall, went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft and later signed with the New York Knicks. After playing a few seasons in the league, he transitioned to a career in the U.S. Army. During his time at Duke, Marshall went from struggling to earn minutes on the bench to becoming a player Coach K couldn’t afford to take off the court in his senior year. He eventually became team captain and emerged as one of Duke’s standout stars.

Feb 10, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Marshall Plumlee (40) shoots a basket before the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

With Marshall making his way through Duke and earning a path to the NBA, he helped solidify the Plumlee family legacy at one of college basketball’s most storied programs. Following in the footsteps of his older brother’s, Marshall upheld the standard of toughness, consistency, and team-first play that became synonymous with the Plumlee name at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

It was the final chapter in a remarkable family run that left a lasting imprint on Duke basketball and secured the Plumlees’ place in college basketball history.

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